Apologies for not keeping this blog up to date. Apparently where we have been cycling is either not good for power or for mobile networks!

Well day one as you know finished with one challenger down but Nicky had joined the support crew. She still needed some strong pain killers for that role and us cyclists looked on enviously at their strength.

Hazel as she has included in the blog, decided that she should make the hard decision to leave the support team so that there was more space in the van, a very wise decision although a sad one for us as Hazel has been a constant support in many of our quests.

So Day 2

I said before this was the make or break day 140 miles Scafell Pike and another 20miles to the hotel. Everything had to work well if we were to complete the challenge.

We were up out of the hotel and cycling by 4:45am. After the efforts to catch up on time, the day before, we thought we deserved a little extra lie in, and we were rewarded with a dry start but not for long. The forecast had been light showers, and they were right. Inbetween the heavy downpours there were indeed light showers.

It was hard to get the muscles warm in the rain and chillier weather. We stopped off at small service area at around 8:15am for a hot coffee to top up the cups of tea that Jon was wonderfully serving up at our official breaks. You could tell we were still in Scotland we were served by someone in a suit and tie who turned out to be a keen mountain biker. While in the service station we caught sight of the weather forecast and it was supposed to clear up in the afternoon though it seemed rather vague.

Leaving the warmth of the service area behind we faced the rain again. The rain was so heavy it was washing the perspiration into my eyes making it very difficult and painful to see where I was going. I only knew which way to go by keeping close to Foz's rear light and hoping he knew where he was going. Foz was managing to plough on but our speed was down. We were struggling thanks to the great British weather. Then as we approached Penrith the rain started to give way but the rolling hills started, each time momentum was improved it was taken away by the next hill.

Just beyond Penfith we decided to have a slap up lunch of a big mac, yum. At last the sun broke through and we could start to get our speed up. The question that was always in the back of the mind was could we make it to Scafell Pike in time to climb it in the daylight.

In an effort to keep the cycling time to a minimum we were choosing a direct route to Scafell it included Kirkstone Pass a Category 2 hill. We sent the van to the top and followed behind, it is a 485m climb in 2 miles, it has a series of 15% and 20% hills within it, and we had cycled 130miles already. Apparently as the van went up they passed some cyclists near the top and then parked. Those cyclists still took 15minutes to climb the hill so the support crew thought we would be ages as they had left us 10miles behind. Sarah and Nicky got out of the van to walk partly down the hill in expectation that we needed encouragement. Jon on the other hand decided to stay with the van rather than going the walk. Where I soon found him eating a brownie! Foz and I didn't manage to cycle all of the hill as it got to the stage where it seemed it was quicker to walk but we certainly managed the majority of it.

A quick downhill and another 17miles and we were at Scafell Pike.

Border line madness.
With our efforts the time at the base of Scafell Pike was 6:15 which was later than we had hoped but it was still sunny. The decision had to be made, did we try and climb the mountain? There was a difference of opinion. Although it was sunny Scafell Pike was in mist. Foz is an experienced climber but he wasn't sure how long the route we were proposing to follow would take. We had to listen to his advice and it wasn't 'no' just 'its border line madness to consider it'. I took that as a positive however the support crew did not interpret it the same way and threatened to lock the van.

This sadly meant the challenge in its orginal format was over. A tough call but so be it. We then continued the proposed cycle route, which turned out to be 167miles for the day, not too bad when considering Ben Nevis and the cycle ride the day before.

The day ended with a late meal near the hotel. Where we had to decide what to try for day 3, surely Scafell Pike.